Aaron Volpatti 'surprised' to be claimed by Capitals off waivers

Transcription

1 Aaron Volpatti 'surprised' to be claimed by Capitals off waivers BY JIM JAMIESON, THE PROVINCE FEBRUARY 28, 2013 VANCOUVER The Canucks lost feisty fourth-line winger Aaron Volpatti on Thursday, as Washington claimed him off waivers. The Revelstoke native had played in 16 games for the Canucks, scoring one goal and collecting 28 PIMs. Although Volpatti had been a healthy scratch for three of the Canucks past five games, he told The Province on Thursday morning that being put on waivers caught him by surprise. I was a little surprised, said Volpatti. Obviously, I didn t play a couple games there in a row. Nonetheless, I was still surprised. I thought I was contributing and doing my job. I understand why from a business standpoint, but it doesn t make me any more satisfied that it happened. Volpatti said he was told by the Canucks that they wanted to put him in a position where he could play more. I think the main thing was ice time, said Volpatti, 27. They wanted me to play more. I agreed. I did want to play more. I m a little disappointed to be leaving Vancouver, but hopefully I can get that opportunity in Washington. Volpatti, who was a Canucks fan growing up in the B.C. Interior, said he was thrilled when he was able to sign with Vancouver as a U.S. college free agent three years ago. It was a dream come true, for them to be in the mix when I was coming out of college with those other teams and have them show the interest they did, he said. My heart was in Vancouver and that was a disappointing thing. But I m getting some new opportunities, so I ll run with it. Volpatti spoke with the Capitals following his acquisition. I think they are just looking for that element of being physical and being able to play some minutes, he said. It looks like they ve got a great group of guys and from spending some time on the East

2 Coast I know Washington is a great city and hopefully we can get back in the playoff picture and go from there. Copyright (c) The Province Willes: Recent events cast doubt on Canucks direction BY ED WILLES, THE PROVINCE MARCH 1, :41 AM Country For Old Men, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell and his deputy happen upon an ugly crime scene. The deputy looks at the bodies, the abandoned, burned-out trucks and a trail of blood in the desert, then pronounces: It's a mess ain't it sheriff? If it ain't, it'll do till the mess gets here, Bell answers. This, naturally, brings us around to the Vancouver Canucks. As they prepare for their 20th game of this abridged NHL season, it's hard to think of the Canucks as a team in turmoil a mess, if you will. They sit atop the Northwest Division, four points ahead of their closest pursuers. They maintain the core of back-to-back Presidents Trophy winners. True, the loss of Ryan Kesler isn't exactly a positive development but it basically restores the same lineup the Canucks employed at the start of this season. Just so you know they were when Kesler rejoined the team two weeks ago. They went with him back in the lineup. So, as far as crises go, this one is lacking a certain desperation. But, to borrow Sheriff Bell's line, it'll do until the real crisis gets here. UNEASINESS The past couple of days have produced a series of events which have sent a current of uneasiness through the faithful; events which, individually, might not be troubling but, collectively, raises questions about the team's direction. As luck would have it, the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings are coming to town, the team which was last seen in Vancouver rudely ending the Canucks' season.

3 That playoff series exposed a number of vulnerabilities in the Canucks' lineup and if you were wondering what they were, pay attention. It's likely you'll see them all over again on Saturday night. By now, it was hoped the Canucks would have laid to rest the concerns about their roster. Their start bought them a month to address the issues within the team; a month to trade a goalie, a month to get Kesler healthy, a month to find a long-term answer for the team's centre ice needs. KESLER CROCKED When Kesler returned, there was a delicious sense of anticipation; a sense that with Zack Kassian, Chris Tanev and an upgrade in team toughness, the 2013 Canucks could be better than the 2011 team that came within one win of the Stanley Cup. Now? Well, the Canucks have never let anyone get comfortable with their success and they're not about to start. Kesler is likely gone until April. That leaves Henrik Sedin, Jordan Schroeder, Andrew Ebbett and Max Lapierre at centre, which isn't good enough. Given the Kesler situation, maybe it's understandable there were reports on Thursday the Canucks were about to extend an offer sheet to Colorado's Ryan O'Reilly. Those reports, sadly, didn't explain how the Orcans were going to fit O'Reilly's contract into their carefully ordered payroll. VOLPATTI GONE Kesler wasn't the only story to emerge from the team this week. Not by a long shot. There was also the quizzical decision on Aaron Volpatti and a new chapter in the Manny Malhotra saga for the faithful to contemplate. Volpatti was a headscratcher. Relative to his job description, the kid from Revelstoke was as effective as any Canuck. Granted, that was a limited job description but he brought something to the table. That job now falls to Steve Pinizzotto, who turns 29 at the end of April and still hasn't played a career game in the NHL.

4 Sorry. Me confused. As for Malhotra, that one is equally puzzling. He was retired as a Canuck by GM Mike Gillis a couple of weeks ago but is now what? A coaching intern? A management trainee? We'd further point out the Canucks are still trying to fill the hole left by Malhotra, which doesn't exactly explain the Volpatti decision but maybe we're missing something. FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY The backdrop to all this, of course, is the Canucks' place in the Northwest. It seems as long as their principal challenge is holding off Minnesota, they can take their time with the weightier decisions read goalie trade confronted by the organization. But there's also something about playing in the Northwest that gives this team a false sense of security. This year, they're against Northwest teams and against the other teams in the West. That's great if the road to the Stanley Cup final runs through St. Paul or Edmonton. But it's likely this season, as last season, only one team will make it the playoffs from the Northwest. Maybe that team is the Canucks. But, maybe, there are enough Northwest Division pennants hanging from the rafters. Copyright (c) The Province Gamble to put Volpatti on waivers comes back to bite Canucks as Washington scoops up winger Gamble to put winger on waivers comes back to bite Canucks as Washington scoops him up BY JIM JAMIESON, THE PROVINCE FEBRUARY 28, 2013 The Canucks lost when the Washington Capitals claimed feisty fourth-line winger Aaron Volpatti off the waiver wire on Thursday. Vancouver had made a calculated risk that Volpatti wouldn t be claimed, but the Caps proved them wrong. For a second straight day, the Canucks were busy with off-ice doings, as centre Andrew Ebbett was recalled from their Chicago Wolves AHL affiliate.

5 Ebbett restores the Canucks number of natural centres to four, after it was disclosed by the team on Wednesday that Ryan Kesler has a broken bone in his right foot and will be sidelined from four to six weeks. Clearly, rookie Jordan Schroeder will be given the chance to show he can produce in the second-line centre role, but don t be surprised if the Canucks are looking for another pivot heading into the April 3 trade deadline. But losing the gritty Volpatti, 27, one of the team s hardest hitters and a willing fighter, has to sting. He s shown no fear, taking on huge Douglas Murray and Ryan Reaves this season, not faring well, but also getting the best of Ryan Garbutt and Matt Beleskey. We were hoping to get him through (waivers) so he plays lots down there and gets some PK work in, said Canucks assistant GM Lorne Henning. We hated to lose him. He s a character kid. The Canucks are clearly hoping to replace Volpatti s edge with Steve Pinizzotto now that he s finally healthy. He s expected to get a look in Vancouver once he finishes a conditioning stint in the minors. Volpatti was a healthy scratch three of the last five games and head coach Alain Vigneault obviously put Dale Weise ahead of him in the pecking order. Despite the recent scratches, Volpatti said Thursday morning before leaving for Washington that being put on waivers caught him by surprise. Obviously, I didn t play a couple games there in a row, said Volpatti, a Revelstoke native who played in 16 games for the Canucks this season, scoring one goal and collecting 28 PIMs. Nonetheless, I was still surprised. I thought I was contributing and doing my job. I understand why from a business standpoint, but it doesn t make me any more satisfied that it happened. Volpatti said he was told by the Canucks that they wanted to put him in a position where he could play more. I think the main thing was ice-time, said Volpatti, 27. They wanted me to play more. I agreed. I m a little disappointed to be leaving Vancouver, but hopefully I can get that opportunity in Washington. Volpatti, who was a Canucks fan growing up in the B.C. Interior, said he was thrilled when he was able to sign with Vancouver as a U.S. college free agent out of Brown University three years ago.

6 It was a dream come true, for them show the interest they did, he said. My heart was in Vancouver and that was a disappointing thing. But I m getting some new opportunities, so I ll run with it. Volpatti spoke with the Capitals following his acquisition. I think they are just looking for that element of being physical and being able to play some minutes, he said. It looks like they ve got a great group of guys, and from spending some time on the East Coast I know Washington is a great city, and hopefully we can get back in the playoff picture and go from there. Copyright (c) The Province Canucks Zack Kassian not pouting over drought, ice time It s a matter of staying positive, for 22-year-old winger relegated to fourth-line duty BY ELLIOTT PAP, VANCOUVER SUN FEBRUARY 28, 2013 VANCOUVER Slumping Vancouver Canuck winger Zack Kassian is getting a taste of life in the fishbowl of a Canadian hockey market. After a red-hot start, he s gone 12 games without a goal, has sunk down the depth chart to the fourth line and is minus-6 in his last seven games. He played a season-low 6:52 Tuesday against the Phoenix Coyotes and still managed to be on the ice for two goals against. When things were rolling for him the first two weeks of the season, he played more than 19 minutes on three different occasions and collected his share of feel-good headlines. Now he s finding it difficult to score from the bench, or in the penalty box, but that s where Kassian has been for large stretches the last two games. Surprisingly, the 22-year-old isn t dragging his lip all over the dressing room. Maybe he s made a few trips to the mind room to figure things out. You definitely look up and say geez, what did I do to you? but it s a matter of staying positive, Kassian said. The biggest thing is obviously not letting it affect the way you play. You don t want to be on the ice when the other team is scoring goals no matter how they go in.

7 It s not fun. And, yeah, lately they have been going in. It s going to happen. So it s a matter of responding on the next shift. Take, for example, the Phoenix game. Both Andrew Alberts and Max Lapierre covered Coyotes right-winger Nick Johnson which allowed Kyle Chipchura to walk out and roof a backhander past Cory Schneider. As the puck sailed toward the net, Kassian entered the picture, leaving the impression he didn t do enough to stop Chipchura. In the Detroit game, he was penalized for goalie interference and unsportsmanlike conduct in the second period and the Red Wings scored on both power plays. He also took the Canucks off the power play when he went after Jordin Tootoo following the latter s charging penalty on Chris Tanev. You re going to take penalties but you obviously try to limit the bad ones, said Kassian, who became a Canuck on Feb. 27, 2012, in the Cody Hodgson trade with Buffalo. You just keep moving forward and try to win hockey games. If we re winning 3-2 and I m not getting on the scoresheet, I m not going to hang my head and pout because I haven t scored in 15 games. It s a matter of winning and everyone doing their job. Kassian is trying to take criticism in stride. He understands every player on the roster has his performance, in the words of Cory Schneider, over-analyzed and picked apart. That s what comes along with playing in a good market, Kassian noted. It s fun to play in these atmospheres. The fans are great and the city supports you. When you re winning, it s awesome, and obviously when you lose a couple of games, there is going to be negative press. That comes along with the job. Canuck head coach Alain Vigneault intends to give Kassian some benefit of the doubt. The Windsor native is in his second professional season and his size 6-3 and 214 pounds plus his skill set are still an enticing package to have in the lineup. Most of Kassian s mistakes are being made behind his own blue-line. Zack is a 22-year-old young man, Vigneault said, and, yes, he had a few turnovers Tuesday. I look back at certain players and where they were at that age. I mean, Zack is in the NHL right now and every day he is on the ice with us, he s learning through his teammates and through practices. I m confident that he s going to continue to get better. The Canucks didn t practise Thursday so it remains to be seen whether Kassian will be moved up from the fourth line in the wake of Ryan Kesler s broken foot.

8 Vancouver s next game is Saturday at home against the defending Stanley Cup champion L.A. Kings (7 p.m., CBC, Team 1040), who have caught fire and won five straight. The Canucks have lost two straight overall and three straight at Rogers Arena. They are in their last seven. Agent on client playing with broken foot for six games: Typical Kes, he s living in denial about his injuries The agent for Ryan Kesler believes his client's broken right foot was a "fluke" injury from blocking a shot and it was "non-preventable" because players are "going to block shots eight times out of 10." (Getty Images via National Hockey League). It wasn t surprising Ryan Kesler played six games before a CT (Computed Tomography) scan Wednesday morning confirmed the Vancouver Canucks centre had a broken right foot and will be sidelined four to six weeks. The former Selke Trophy winner doesn t like to talk about injuries and doesn t use them as a crutch, although wrist, shoulder, hip and hand surgeries are significant setbacks. Did Kesler not know he was probably injured after blocking a shot on Feb. 15 against Dallas, even though two subsequent x-rays were negative? He didn t want to know and it s typical Kes he s living in denial about his injuries, Kesler s agent, Kurt Overhardt, told the TEAM 1040 on Thursday. They (Canucks) were aware there was an incident in the first game and they tried to get through it. But we don t know what he was going through with the pain and the swelling. But he ll be back. In the interim, the Canucks have recalled Andrew Ebbett from the Chicago Wolves and there will be a heightened level of interest in how lines will be formed at practice Friday. Losing Aaron Volpatti to the Washington Capitals on a waiver-wire claim affects the fourth line because Steve Pinizzotto isn t in NHL game shape after injuring his groin Nov. 24 and has yet to play at game at this level. Alex Burrows played centre between Chris Higgins and Jannik Hansen when Kesler was rehabbing offseason wrist and shoulder surgeries, but that upsets the recent chemistry of the top line. Ebbett could slide into the second-line role or he might be better on the fourth line and give Jordan Schroeder or Maxim Lapierre a shot to move up. Of course, trading Roberto Luongo is an option for help down the middle, but the leverage pendulum has swung the other way again with Kesler s injury. And the Canucks play 16 games in 30 days in March including a pair of back-tobacks so Cory Schneider and Luongo won t sit for long. Or get rusty. Meanwhile, Overhardt said his client is satisfied in the manner the Canucks have handled his injuries. The two offseason procedures on the left side of Kesler s body produced an imbalance and an extended timeline for his return. Overhardt said in mid-december that it would be several months before the centre returned which was debated. He came back two months later. He s had several different injuries and they (Canucks) have a very competent staff and that s not an issue, said the agent. It s important to get a second opinion and you just don t know when you re rehabbing and the surgeries compounded him getting back. Kesler collected his $5 million US salary during the lockout because he was injured at the time of the Sept. 15 work stoppage. Which, of course, led to some speculation that the centre was taking his time coming back in order to collect cheques. He wasn t milking it, stressed Overhardt. The process to come back and play in the NHL and with Ryan having certain expectations of himself that s where he needs to be before he steps on the ice. It was smart to be cautious. His skating may have looked great but dealing with the shoulder and wrist, it was getting to the point where he was never going to be 100 per cent less than 12 months out from the surgeries. Canucks lose winger Aaron Volpatti to Washington Capitals 'Mixed feeling' for Revelstoke native leaving his home province BY ELLIOTT PAP, VANCOUVER SUN FEBRUARY 28, 2013 VANCOUVER As ex-vancouver Canuck fourth-liner Aaron Volpatti headed east Thursday to join the Washington Capitals, veteran centre Andrew Ebbett was flying west to rejoin the Canucks after his recall from the American Hockey League s Chicago Wolves.

9 The Canucks had been trying to get Volpatti down to the Wolves for more playing time and were willing to risk losing him on waivers, which is precisely what transpired when the Capitals claimed him. Volpatti, a 27-year-old native of Revelstoke, was a healthy scratch in three of the last five games and was averaging just 7:18 of ice time, lowest on the Canucks by more than two minutes. "It s a bit of a mixed feeling," Volpatti said before he left for Washington. "I m happy to stay in the NHL and have a new opportunity but Vancouver was my first shot and, being a B.C. kid, I really loved it here. So, as I said, it s a bit of a mixed feeling." Volpatti admitted he was somewhat caught off guard by the Canucks decision to place him on waivers. He was told following Tuesday night s 4-2 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. "Yeah, I was a little bit surprised," he said. "I was healthy scratched a few games there but I thought I could still contribute. My plan, if I did clear, was to hopefully be back shortly." Volpatti appeared in 54 games as a Canuck over three seasons. He scored three goals and added one assist. This season, he netted one goal, fought four times and had 28 penalty minutes. He was in the final year of his contract paying him a pro-rated $600,000. He stands to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Ebbett, meanwhile, was summoned to fill the void left by Ryan Kesler s broken right foot. The 30- year-old from Vernon began the lockout-shortened season with the big club but dressed for just five games and was a frequent healthy scratch until being dispatched Feb. 18 to the Wolves. Ebbett had no points in the NHL but 25 for the Wolves in 32 AHL appearances. In 168 career NHL games with five different teams, Ebbett has 24 goals and 58 points. Wait until the real crisis gets here Kesler's absence isn't exactly good news, but it restores the earlier lineup BY ED WILLES, THE PROVINCE MARCH 1, 2013 In the Coen Brothers classic No Country For Old Men, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell and his deputy happen upon an ugly crime scene. The deputy looks at the bodies, the abandoned, burnt-out trucks and a trail of blood in the desert, then pronounces: "It's a mess ain't it sheriff?"

10 "If it ain't, it'll do till the mess gets here," Bell answers. This, naturally, brings us around to the Vancouver Canucks. As they prepare for their 20th game of this abridged NHL season, it's hard to think of the Canucks as a team in turmoil - a mess, if you will. They sit atop the Northwest Division, four points ahead of their closest pursuers. They maintain the core of back-to-back President's Trophy winners. True, the loss of Ryan Kesler isn't exactly a positive development but it basically restores the same lineup the Canucks employed at the start of this season. Just so you know they were when Kesler rejoined the team two weeks ago. They went with him back in the lineup. So, as far as crises go, this one is lacking a certain desperation. But, to borrow Sheriff Bell's line, it'll do until the real crisis gets here. The past couple of days have produced a series of events which have sent a current of uneasiness through the faithful; events which, individually, might not be troubling but, collectively, raises questions about the team's direction. As luck would have it, the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings are coming to town, the team which was last seen in Vancouver rudely ending the Canucks' season. That playoff series exposed a number of vulnerabilities in the Canucks' lineup and if you were wondering what they were, pay attention. It's likely you'll see them all over again on Saturday night. By now, it was hoped the Canucks would have laid to rest the concerns about their roster. Their start bought them a month to address the issues within the team; a month to trade a goalie, a month to get Kesler healthy, a month to find a long-term answer for the team's centre-ice needs. When Kesler returned, there was a delicious sense of anticipation; a sense that with Zack Kassian, Chris Tanev and an upgrade in team toughness, the 2013 Canucks could be better than the 2011 team that came within one win of the Stanley Cup.

11 Now? Well, the Canucks have never let anyone get comfortable with their success and they're not about to start. Kesler is likely gone until April. That leaves Henrik Sedin, Jordan Schroeder, Andrew Ebbett and Max Lapierre at centre, which isn't good enough. Given the Kesler situation, maybe it's understandable there were reports on Thursday the Canucks were about to extend an offer sheet to Colorado's Ryan O'Reilly. Those reports, sadly, didn't explain how the Orcans were going to fit O'Reilly's contract into their carefully ordered payroll. Kesler wasn't the only story to emerge from the team this week. There was also the quizzical decision on Aaron Volpatti and a new chapter in the Manny Malhotra saga for the faithful to contemplate. Volpatti was a headscratcher. Relative to his job description, the kid from Revelstoke was as effective as any Canuck. Granted, that was a limited job description but he brought something to the table. That job now falls to Steve Pinizzot-to, who turns 29 at the end of April and still hasn't played a career game in the NHL. Sorry. Me confused. As for Malhotra, that one is equally puzzling. He was retired as a Canuck by GM Mike Gillis a couple of weeks ago but is now - what? - a coaching intern? A management trainee? We'd further point out the Canucks are still trying to fill the hole left by Malhotra which doesn't exactly explain the Volpatti decision but maybe we're missing something. The backdrop to all this, of course, is the Canucks' place in the Northwest. It seems as long as their principal challenge is holding off Minnesota, they can take their time with the weightier decisions - read goalie trade - confronted by the organization. But there's also something about playing in the Northwest that gives this team a false sense of security. This year, they're against Northwest teams and against the other teams in the West. That's great if the road to the Stanley Cup final runs through St. Paul or Edmonton. But it's likely this season, as last season, only one team will make it the playoffs from the Northwest. Maybe that team is the Canucks. But, maybe, there are enough Northwest Division pennants hanging from the rafters.

12 Copyright (c) The Province